Just curious as to what time is your favorite time for dinner on a cruise? My first cruise I thought I would enjoy the late seating, but when actually there, I found I was starving by 6pm and then didnt have much of an appetite at 8:15. I also found that I was rushing through dinner (which is hard in the dining room ) just so I could go to bed! lol!! Didnt help much that I had a head cold that trip oh well. Anyways, this cruise I'm trying the early seating- maybe that will be more of my taste!

My hubbie and I like the early seating. We tried the late seating before and did not like it. With the early seating you have the whole evening ahead without rushing to see the shows, go to the casino, etc. Besides we don't like eating so much food and then going to bed. Usually we get up early and it the bed around 11:30 - 12:00 We are used to eating early at home 4:30 that is another reason we want early seating.

We also prefer the early seating. We tried the late one once and it felt like we were just through eating and it was time for bed. I like being able to eat, then watch the show, go to the casino , or a lounge or just up on deck for a little while.

We are huge fans of the second or late seating. We feel much more relaxed and not hurried. We especially like second seating on port days, we get back from port in the afternoon, relax , go for a swim or a soak in the hot tub, grab a light little something to eat - usually a salad or a sandwich, take a nap, stroll the decks, (no body around, they are all getting ready for dinner). Have a leisurly drink in the bar before dinner, and after dinner take in a show, stroll the decks(to walk -off some dinner) go to the disco or a show lounge for a bit of dancing and usually hit the sack by 1am.

We had late seating which was okay but like you we were also starved by 6 . I would have also like to try the midnight buffet but because we were still so full we never did. I think that we probley liked it better than we would have like the early seating because we would have had to rush while we were in port or just missed eating in the dining room which we really enjoyed! Having the late dinner meant we had to rush to get to the show at 10:30. It took at least 2 hours in the dining room everynight. some nights we missed desert because we were ready to go. I think that both seating times have there advantages and disadvantages!!! I guess it is just all in what you like!

We started with late sitting and did so for the first few cruises. We were then 'stuck' with early seating and could not get it changed due to the large number already in late seating. We discovered that not only did we have time to get dressed without being rushed, we were able to attend the early shows and have time to enjoy the evening and were able to enjoy the midnight buffet or late night snacks! Now early seating is a "must do" for us.
Jim

I've had both and neither really made much of a difference - you're on a cruise and have some great food - how bad can it be?
But we do prefer late seating. This allows us time to get ready, enjoy a few drinks before dinner, my wife can get some sushi. After dinner, we go to the main show, catch some of the musical acts, and then head to the disco for awhile. Then I usually want to go to the midnight buffet and then its back to the disco. On the way back to the room, we usually stop for some pizza that we take back to the room.

We had first seating on our first cruise and tried the late seating on our second cruise. We learned that the late seating people didn't get the good seats at the midnight comedy show because while we were watching the show in the main show lounge, the people that had early seating had gone down to the aft lounge to get seats for the late show. As soon as the late dinner passengers finished with the show in the main show lounge the went straight to the aft lounge to try and find a seat! So the next cruise (our 3rd) we switched back to early seating to find out that we then missed the sunsets and the quiet time sitting on our balcony as we left port. So either way has its pros and cons. It's been late seating for us since then!!